Adjustable non-expansible watch bracelet

ABSTRACT

A non-expansible watch bracelet is disclosed in which there is provided a connecting member for removably securing adjacent links of the watch bracelet to adjust the size thereof. The connecting member is provided with a slideable element having projecting tabs which cooperate with recesses formed in the undersurface of the links. When in place, the connecting member is substantially hidden from view when the watch bracelet is worn.

1: States Patent [191 Peon [451 Sept. 2, 1975 ADJUSTABLE NON-EXPANSIBLE WATCH BRACELET [76] Inventor: Yuen Sang Poon, 36 Kam Wah St.,

I-Iong Kong, Hong Kong 22 Filed: Aug. 9, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 496,170

[52] US. Cl. 59/80; 59/91; 63/4; 224/4 H [51] Int. Cl. F16G 13/18 [58] Field of Search 59/80, 82, 78, 79 R, 79 B, 59/85, 91; 63/4; 224/4 D, 4 H

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,675 2/1925 Mealy 59/79 B 3,425,214 2/1969 Meng 59/80 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Italy 59/80 616,118 1/1949 United Kingdom 59/80 1,027,439 4/1958 Germany 1,086,074 7/1960 Germany 59/79 R Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Gene P. Crosby Attorney, Agent, or FirmI-Ienry R. Lerner [5 7] ABSTRACT A non-expansible watch bracelet is disclosed in which there is provided a connecting member for removably securing adjacent links of the watch bracelet to adjust the size thereof. The connecting member is provided with a slideable element having projecting tabs which cooperate with recesses formed in the undersurface of the links. When in place, the connecting member is substantially hidden from view when the watch bracelet is worn.

8 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP' 21 7s 3.902.313

SHEET 2 OF 4 illll IIIIIIIlIZ/l m PATENTEU SEP 2 I975 SHZEI u o {1 ADJUSTABLE NON-EXPANSIBLE WATCH BRACELET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a non-expansible watch bracelet, and more particularly. to such a watch bracelet which is adjustable in size.

Conventionally, in order to obtain adjustability for watch bracelets, expandable bracelets are provided in which the size of the band is adjusted to the wrist, as worn. For non-expansible watch bracelets, the manufacturer is often required to produce a plurality of different size bracelets or bands as part of the conventional manufactured stock. In this manner, the supplier or retailer can provide a choice of properly sized watch bracelets. As can be appreciated, this is quite wasteful of inventory stock.

An object of this invention is to provide a nonexpansible watch bracelet which is adjustable in size.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a watch bracelet which is attractive in appearance.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a non-expansible bracelet in which the links thereof are easily added or removed in accordance with the desired size.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a watch bracelet in which the size adjustment can be manually performed by an ordinary watchmaker or other skilled technician.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a connecting member of generally simplified construction, which utilizes simple and inexpensive parts susceptible of mass production. which has a relatively long, trouble-free life and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and sold at a relatively low price.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a removable connecting member between adjacent links which can be readily connected to the links in a simple and facile manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a watch bracelet which materially reduces the inventory required to be held by retailers.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification. taken in connection with the appended drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above objects are accomplished by provid ing a nonexpansible watchband comprising a plurality of links and a connecting member for connecting adjacent ones of said links, the connecting member comprising means for removably securing the adjacent links to adjust the size of the band. The connecting member is provided with a shell in which there is a slidable element. The element has projecting tabs projecting from one end of the shell while there is a pair of fixed pro jecting tabs projecting from the other end of the shell. The tabs, when in the projecting position. enable the adjacent links to be connected, while. the slidable 'element when in a recessed position permits links to be removed from connection with adjacent links.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view of the upper surface of the bracelet of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bracelet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the undersurface of the bracelet of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connecting member of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shell portion of the connecting member of FIG. 4 shown in an unbent position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the slidable element of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fixed tab members interconnected with the shell of the connecting member of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the connecting member of FIG. 4 with the slidable element being shown in a recessed position;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view through lines l0-l0 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an assembled link, a plurality of which form the watch bracelet;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the top shell portion of the link of FIG. 11 shown in an unbent position;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the liner portion of the link of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of two links shown closely together with the connecting member being removed from connecting the two links; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the connecting member connecting two adjacent links.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a watch bracelet or band 10 comprising a plurality ofindividual links 12 with a. catch 13 for holding the bracelet on the wrist of the wearer in the usual manner. Each of the adjacent links 12 is connected by a con necting member 14 shown in more detail in FIG. 4. The connecting member is provided with a pair of tabs 16 which are fixed and project from one end thereof and a pair of tabs 18 adapted to be in a projecting position shown in FIG. 4 and in a recessed position as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, there is shown the connecting member 14 comprising a shell 20 having a groove 22 in the upper surface of .the shell and a slot 24 in one side surface of the shell. There is shown the slidable member 26 comprising the pair of extending tabs 18 integrally connected with a tongue portion 28 adapted to cooperate with slot 22 as shown in FIG. 8 to hold the tabs 18 in the projecting position. There is provided the pair of fixed extending tabs 16 as a part of a plate in which there is provided a projecting ear portion 30 adapted to fit within slot 24 of the shell 20, the cooperation between ear portion 30 and slot 24 enabling the plate 29 to be held in a fixed position so as to fixedly project tabs 16.

Referring to FIGS. 11-13, there is shown the construction of the links which form the watch bracelet. the links being formed of a top shell member 32 having upstanding wall members 34 with a slot or opening 36 formed in each of said wall members 34. A liner 38 is provided to be seated within the top shell 32, and when the upstanding wall portions 34 are bent over shown in FIG. II, the liner 38 is held in position and there are formed recess areas 40 in the undersurface of the link 12. The ends of the upstanding wall members 34, when the walls are bent into position as shown in FIG. 11. are contiguous with each other so as to form a closed structure for the link. The recess area 40 is formed of an opening portion 42 and having extended opening areas 44 at either end of the opening 42 to receive the tabs 16 and 18 of the connecting member enabling the tabs to he slid and held under the wall members 34 when the link is assembled and the connecting member is in place.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, taken in conjunction with FIGS. 8 and 10, there is shown the connecting member removably securing the adjacent links. As shown in FIG, 10, the projecting tongue member 28 is slid under the upper surface of the shell 20 by pushing down on tongue member 28 while in slot 22 (see FIG. 8) and then pushing the tongue element in the slot portion 22 to carry the slidable element 26 to the recessed position. In this position, adjacent links can be removed so to decrease the number of links on the watch bracelet. When it is desired to reconnect adjacent links. the connecting member is placed between the two connecting links as shown in FIG. 14, and the tongue member 28 is then pushed so as to carry the spaced-apart projecting tabs 18 to project from the shell and engage in the extended opening portions 44 of the respective link.

It can be seen that the connecting elements comprise the movable means or slidable element 26 which is adapted to be pivotably fixed in the recess areas of the links to enable the watch bracelet to be worn in the conventional fashion. The spacing of the tabs in cooperation with the extended opening portions of the links enable the connecting member to be substantially hidden from view when the watch bracelet is worn in the normal fashion.

It is thus seen that the connecting member 14 is readily connected to the links in a simple and facile manner which permits easy adjustment of the size of the nonexpansible watch bracelet. in accordance with the principles of this invention.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that l have provided a highly novel and efficient connecting member for enabling the size of the non-expansible watch bracelets to be easily adjusted. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein. without however departing from the basic inventive concept thereof. as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A non-expansible watch bracelet comprising a plurality of links. a plurality of connecting elements connecting adjacent ones of said plurality of links. each of said links comprising an upper surface and an under surface and recess areas formed in said under surface, each of said connecting elements comprising movable means adapted to be pivotably fixed in said recess areas in adjacent ones of said links. said movable means assuming a projecting position to connect adjacent ones of said links and a recessed position to disengage said link from connection with said connecting member and an adjacent link to adjust the size of said bracelet by controlling the number of links on said bracelet.

2. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said connecting element comprises a shell, a fixed projection member projecting from one end of said shell and a slidable element in said shell slidable to be in said projecting position or said recessed position.

3. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 2, wherein said fixed projection member comprises a pair of spaced apart tabs extending from said end of said shell, one of said tabs adapted to engageably cooperate with the recess in one link. while the other of said pair is adpated to simultaneously engage the recess in an adjacent link, said fixed projection member further comprising a projecting ear and said shell comprising a slot adapted to cooperate with said ear to hold said fixed projection member in place.

4. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 1. wherein said movable means comprises a slidable element having a projecting portion, and means to hold said slidable element in said projecting position.

5. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 4, wherein said recess areas are complementary with said slidable element when said slidable element is in said projecting position. said connecting element securing said adjacent links closely together such that said connecting element is substantially hidden from view when said band is worn.

6. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 4. wherein said connecting element comprises a hollow shell having a groove in one surface thereof, said slidable element having a tongue member engageable in said groove to hold said slidable element in said projecting position.

7. A non-expansible watch bracelet as-in claim 6, wherein said projecting portion comprises a pair of spaced apart projecting tabs, one of said pair of tabs adapted to engageably cooperate with the recess in one link while the other of said pair is adapted to simultaneously engage the recess in an adjacent link.

8. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 6, wherein said tongue member is depressible to be within said shell and comprises means to permit said slidable element to be pushed to said recessed position. 

1. A non-expansible watch bracelet comprising a plurality of links, a plurality of connecting elements connecting adjacent ones of said plurality of links, each of said links comprising an upper surface and an under surface and recess areas formed in said under surface, each of said connecting elements comprising movable means adapted to be pivotably fixed in said recess areas in adjacent ones of said links, said movable means assuming a projecting position to connect adjacent ones of said links and a recessed position to disengage said link from connection with said connecting member and an adjacent link to adjust the size of said bracelet by controlling the number of links on said bracelet.
 2. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said connecting element comprises a shell, a fixed projection member projecting from one end of said shell and a slidable element in said shell slidable to be in said projecting position or said recessed position.
 3. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 2, wherein said fixed projection member comprises a pair of spaced apart tabs extending from said end of said shell, one of said tabs adapted to engageably cooperate with the recess in one link, while the other of said pair is adpated to simultaneously engage the recess in an adjacent link, said fixed projection member further comprising a projecting ear and said shell comprising a slot adapted to cooperate with said ear to hold said fixed projection member in place.
 4. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 1, wherein said movable means comprises a slidable element having a projecting portion, and means to hold said slidable element in said projecting position.
 5. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 4, wherein said recess areas are complementary with said slidable element when said slidable element is in said projecting position, said connecting element securing said adjacent links closely together such that said connecting element is substantially hidden from view when said band is worn.
 6. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 4, wherein said connecting element comprises a hollow shell having a groove in one surface thereof, said slidable element hAving a tongue member engageable in said groove to hold said slidable element in said projecting position.
 7. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 6, wherein said projecting portion comprises a pair of spaced apart projecting tabs, one of said pair of tabs adapted to engageably cooperate with the recess in one link while the other of said pair is adapted to simultaneously engage the recess in an adjacent link.
 8. A non-expansible watch bracelet as in claim 6, wherein said tongue member is depressible to be within said shell and comprises means to permit said slidable element to be pushed to said recessed position. 